Enter: Connor Hawke

[newoutsiders]

Amusement Mile, 91 Sorkin Avenue. Gotham City.

Home.

You knew it was going to be hard, making a clean start for yourself far away from the Arrow Clan. You didn’t think it was going to be this hard. But with most of your boxes unpacked, and tenants displaced by a gentrified Burnside filing into this once abandoned entertainment district- thanks to your generous, rent controlled prices- you’re finally back in the landlording game.

At least this was a cheap get. Even with all the gentrification going on in this neighborhood, for some reason the buildings down this part of Sorkin Avenue were priced to move. You figure it’s just Gotham- people get scared and leave town all the time. Fortunately for your tenants, they’ve got a superhero for a landlord.

There’s still a lot to do. There’s that zen garden you want to put up on the roof, that isn’t even close to finished. The Bailey family on the second floor still isn’t getting water in their kids’ bathroom. Not to mention—

You’re interrupted from meditating in your spartan spare bedroom by the ring of a doorbell.

Comments

[newoutsiders]

You hit the brakes as Sal jerks the wheel. The truck starts spinning out of control. Cars are honking all around you: you hit a fire hydrant, which pops off the ground and a geyser of water erupts into the street. You knock down five street lights. It's a miracle everyone's getting out of the way in time- so far.

Sal bites down on your arm, hard. He begins to suckle.

[not_easy_being_green]

"Augh!" Connor slams his fist into Sal's head, then thinks better of it and reaches for a pressure point behind his jaw, hoping desperately it will still work.

[newoutsiders]

Your hands sink into Sal's head like putty. He continues to bite your arm.

The truck's basically doing donuts on Broome and 12th now. The property damage is insane.

[not_easy_being_green]

Crap. Crap crap crap crap. Connor can't keep dividing his attention like this. Whatever Connor just grabs for the wheel, trying to bring the truck to a stop.

"Sal! Listen to me! I don't know what happened to you, but we can help! Just stand down!"

[newoutsiders]

The truck comes to a violent halt. Out the open windshield, it looks like a hurricane just swept through this intersection.

Sal lets go of your arm, and starts openly weeping.

"Iiiii misssss myyyyyy kidssssssss"

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor rests a cautious hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. We'll get you some help, okay? It'll be okay. Just come with me."

[newoutsiders]

He halts for a moment, and looks like he's about to say something- and then he bristles with static electricity as something on him emits a high pitched whine. He screams in pain and begins to fill the cabin.

[not_easy_being_green]

Oh. Oh, crap. Connor opens the door behind him, forced to exit the cabin.

"Sal! What's happening? What's doing this to you? If I can find it, I can try to remove it!"

[newoutsiders]

"SEN- SENSOMMMMPPH-"

There's another bust of static, and Sal's tongue swells up in his mouth until he can no longer speak. He balloons outside the cabin, his legs grow to a spindly twenty feet long, and seem to carry him away involuntarily.

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor continues to back away, looking around for any nearby police. "Help! We need help over here!"

[newoutsiders]

There's a nearby cop car, police out with weapons drawn. The two cops look up at the monstrous ball of flesh on stilt-legs lumbering into the horizon and just shrug at you like they have no idea what you expect them to do.

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor looks around, trying to spot Charlie and ask her to radio up Oracle.

[newoutsiders]

She suddenly *poofs* across the street from you.

"I... I got nervous! I'm sorry! I tried to jump on the truck, but I'm so used to 'porting!"

[not_easy_being_green]

"That's okay, just call Oracle if you haven't already. We have... a situation."

[newoutsiders]

"W-why would I know Oracle?" she asks a little nervously. "I don't- UGH. Fine. Here." She dials the number, gives her phone to Connor. "But don't mention me. Say you got this from, uh. Huntress."

[newoutsiders]

"Does she sound mad?" Charlie asks you.

[not_easy_being_green]

... oh, that's not good. "I couldn't really tell. Come on, let's get out of here - if you have a rebreather, put it on." He'll wait, and if Charlie follows, once they're at a decent distance, ask, "Is there a reason she should be mad?"

[newoutsiders]

She quickly straps on a rebreather from her utility belt, and motions to you that she can't talk because she has a rebreather in her mouth.

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor rolls his eyes. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But I think it'd be a good idea if you talked to her soon, while this is winding down, instead of dodging around the issue."

[newoutsiders]

Charlie pops her rebreather out of her mouth.

"Winding down?! That... thing's getting away! Isn't anyone going to follow it?"

[not_easy_being_green]

"He's going faster than either of us can run. I'm sure Oracle will keep an eye out, but without a car or a bike or anything..."

[newoutsiders]

Charlie's utility belt vibrates. "Hold on, I'm getting a call."

She picks a comm link out of her belt.

"Hey, Batgirl."

[Moderation: The rest of this conversation will be set in Stephanie's thread. Connor hears Charlie's half of it.]